The Fair and Accurate Ingredient Representation on Labels (FAIR Labels) Act was reintroduced in both the U.S. House and Senate. The bipartisan and bicameral legislation would ensure consumer transparency by addressing the labeling of cell-cultivated and plant-based alternative protein products.
“For far too long, lab-grown protein companies have exploited the use of terms like ‘meat’ and ‘beef’ to describe their products, creating the potential for consumer confusion through misleading marketing,” said Gene Copenhaver, NCBA president and Virginia cattle producer. “The FAIR Labels Act will establish a federal guideline for labeling cell-cultivated and plant-based alternative protein products, ensuring consumers can easily differentiate these products from real beef products produced by U.S. cattlemen and cattlewomen.”
The legislation specifically would require lab-grown and plant-based protein products to bear a “cell-cultivated protein” label and a “plant-based alternative protein” label, respectively; mandate that cell-cultivated and plant-based protein products include a disclaimer noting the product in its final form was not derived from a live animal; direct the secretaries of both USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services to revise their agencies’ current memorandum of understanding and to coordinate in developing necessary common standards of identity for cell-cultivated and plant-based alternative protein products.